


He Is Not His Father

by fliffen



Series: Superfamily Flash Fiction [1]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Superfamily (Marvel), Tony Needs a Hug, parenting, peter is a kid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-06
Packaged: 2018-03-06 08:10:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3127364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fliffen/pseuds/fliffen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He yelled and god he didn’t mean to, not like that.<br/>The worst part is the look on Peter’s face. He’s no older than 6 and he’s never heard his dad yell at him like that. He looks scared and shocked for a moment before he clutched the toy spider he’d put together to his chest that.  He had been trying to show it to his dad when he’d yelled at him to not bother him. Peter ran out of the room passing his Papa on the way out.<br/>Steve watched after their son for a moment before turning on his husband.<br/>“What did you just do?” He demanded approaching Tony.</p>
            </blockquote>





	He Is Not His Father

He yelled and god he didn’t mean to, not like that.  
The worst part is the look on Peter’s face. He’s no older than 6 and he’s never heard his dad yell at him like that. He looks scared and shocked for a moment before he clutched the toy spider he’d put together to his chest that. He had been trying to show it to his dad when he’d yelled at him to not bother him. Peter ran out of the room passing his Papa on the way out.  
Steve watched after their son for a moment before turning on his husband.  
“What did you just do?” He demanded approaching Tony.  
Tony took a step back before responding, “I Yelled.” And damn it he doesn’t mean to still sound angry, he’s mad at himself not Steve or their son.  
“You did what?” Steve asked in a tone that cuts through Tony like a knife and now he feels defensive.  
“You herd me.”  
“Yes, I did. And I’m disappointed in you. In 4 years sense we adopted Peter you have never yelled at him like that.” Steve says crossing his arms over his chest.  
Tony stops himself before retorting back something he doesn’t mean. He stays quiet for a time staring at the door way, knowing that if he speaks he’ll say something he will regret.  
“What’s wrong?” Steve asks braking the tens silence that’s formed between them.  
Tony wants to retort something back in his defense, but stops when he looks at his husbands face and sees how concerned he looks. Tony is still not sure how a guy like him managed to snag the nicest man on the planet.  
He scrubs his hands over his face and breathes out a long breath before finally answering honestly, “I haven’t slept in 72 hours.”  
“I’ve noticed.” Steve says. “Why haven’t you?”  
“That’s a list of reasons a mile long.” His voice is shaky and he feels dumb having to explain himself.  
Steve knows all the things he’s going to say they’re the same lines he always says; the nightmares, the anxiety, or having a million thoughts running through his head that he can’t stop. Worst of all, it won’t help to say it out loud.  
Steve doesn’t make him say it, he can see it. Tony looks so tired and even if he tries to hide it, his hands shake. Instead Steve pulls his husband in to his arms and holds him. He runs his fingers through his hair and kisses his temple.  
“It will be alright, we’ll work it out. You’re not alone Tony, you have me and you have Peter.” Steve tells him softly.  
Tony grips the back of Steve’s shirt and buries his face in the crook of his husband’s neck. “I know.” He’s quiet for a moment before he pulls away from Steve. “Oh no, Peter!” He lets go of his husband and leaves the room.  
Steve follows after him, but doesn’t stop him; he gives him the distance to work things out with their son.  
Tony stands outside his son’s room. The door is shut. It’s never shut and he feels more gilt. Taking in a calming breath he gently wraps on the door. He receives no response, but he hears shuffling on the other side.  
“Peter, its daddy, I want to talk to you.”  
“I don’t wanna talk if your just gonna yell at me.” the boy finally says.  
“I’m not going to yell, Pete.” Tony tells him. And god how much he just wants to run back to his lab and pretend none of this happened. But he won’t because he’s not his father, he’s stronger than that.  
“Promise?” Peter asks and Tony can tell he’s right by the door.  
“I promise.” After a moment of silence the door creeps open and Peter peers up at his dad.  
“What do ya want?” He asks and tony can see he’s been crying.  
Tony lowers himself on to his knees so he is at the same height as his son.  
“I’m so sorry I yelled at you.” He says, “I’ll try to not do that again.”  
“Promise you won’t?” Peter demands.  
“No.” Tony tells him and Peter frowns at his dad.  
“Why not?”  
“Because I’m not going to lie to you by making a promise I can’t guarantee I can keep.” Tony explains, and for a moment he thinks he may have upset his son further because he crosses his little arms over his chest and scowls at him.  
It turns out he was wrong.  
“Okay, I forgive you.” Peter tells him dropping his arms and smiling at his daddy.  
Tony stares at him with relief, and a momentary reminder that Peter is definitely Steve’s son too. Tony holds out his arms and Peter takes the invitation to hug his father.  
“I Love you, Pete.” Tony tells him kissing the top of his head.  
“I know, and I love you too. And Papa too.” Peter tells him. Steve laughs and finally approaches them.  
“I love you, too, Pete.” He tells him. Tony stands up then and picks Peter up with him.  
“Let’s find some lunch, I don’t know about you, but I haven’t eaten all day.” Tony says. Peter and Steve laugh.  
“Daddy you’re silly, it’s already dinner time.” Peter tells him.  
“Ah, so it is.”

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [He Is Not His Father [PODFIC]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3127409) by [fliffen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fliffen/pseuds/fliffen)




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